Company Accounts - Unilever

Disclaimer
This PDF is a section of the Unilever Annual Report and Accounts 2009 provided to Unilever’s
shareholders. It does not contain sufficient information to allow a full understanding of
the results of the Unilever Group and the state of affairs of Unilever N.V., Unilever PLC or
the Unilever Group. For further information the Unilever Annual Report and Accounts 2009
should be consulted.
Certain sections of the Unilever Annual Report and Accounts 2009 have been audited.
These are on pages 79 to 128, 131 to 132 and those parts noted as audited within the
Directors’ Remuneration Report on pages 71 to 73.
The maintenance and integrity of the Unilever website is the responsibility of the Directors;
the work carried out by the auditors does not involve consideration of these matters.
Accordingly, the auditors accept no responsibility for any changes that may have occurred
to the financial statements since they were initially placed on the website.
Legislation in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands governing the preparation and
dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
Disclaimer Except where you are a shareholder, this material is provided for information
purposes only and is not, in particular, intended to confer any legal rights on you.
The Annual Report and Accounts does not constitute an invitation to invest in Unilever
shares. Any decisions you make in reliance on this information are solely your responsibility.
The information is given as of the dates specified, is not updated, and any forward-looking
statements are made subject to the reservations specified on the final page of the Report.
Unilever accepts no responsibility for any information on other websites that may be
accessed from this site by hyperlinks.

Company accounts Auditor’s report – Unilever N.V.
Independent auditor’s report to the shareholders of Unilever
N.V.
Report on the company accounts
We have audited the company accounts which are part of the
Annual Report 2009 of Unilever N.V., Rotterdam, for the year
ended 31 December 2009 which comprise the balance sheet, profit
and loss account and the related notes on pages 134 to 136.
We have reported separately on the consolidated accounts of the
Unilever Group for the year ended 31 December 2009.
Directors’ responsibility
The Directors are responsible for the preparation and fair
presentation of the company accounts in accordance with United
Kingdom accounting standards and with Part 9 of Book 2 of the
Netherlands Civil Code, and for the preparation of the Report
of the Directors in accordance with Part 9 of Book 2 of the
Netherlands Civil Code. This responsibility includes: designing,
implementing and maintaining internal control relevant to the
preparation and fair presentation of the company accounts that
are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or
error; selecting and applying appropriate accounting policies;
and making accounting estimates that are reasonable in
the circumstances.
Auditor’s responsibility
Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the company
accounts based on our audit. We conducted our audit in
accordance with Dutch law. This law requires that we comply
with ethical requirements and plan and perform the audit to
obtain reasonable assurance whether the company accounts
are free from material misstatement.
An audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence
about the amounts and disclosures in the company accounts.
The procedures selected depend on the auditor’s judgement,
including the assessment of the risks of material misstatement of
the company accounts, whether due to fraud or error. In making
those risk assessments, the auditor considers internal control
relevant to the entity’s preparation and fair presentation of the
company accounts in order to design audit procedures that are
appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of
expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the entity’s internal
control. An audit also includes evaluating the appropriateness of
accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting
estimates made by the Directors, as well as evaluating the overall
presentation of the company accounts.
We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient
and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinion.
Opinion
In our opinion, the company accounts give a true and fair view
of the financial position of Unilever N.V. as at 31 December 2009,
and of its result for the year then ended in accordance with United
Kingdom accounting standards and with Part 9 of Book 2 of the
Netherlands Civil Code.
Report on other legal and regulatory requirements
Pursuant to the legal requirement under 2:393 sub 5 part f
of the Netherlands Civil Code, we report, to the extent of
our competence, that the Report of the Directors is consistent with
the company accounts as required by 2:391 sub 4 of
the Netherlands Civil Code.
Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 2 March 2010
PricewaterhouseCoopers Accountants N.V.
R A J Swaak RA
Unilever Annual Report and Accounts 2009 133

Financial statements
Company accounts Unilever N.V.
Balance sheet as at 31 December
(after proposed appropriation of profit)
134 Unilever Annual Report and Accounts 2009
€ million € million
2009 2008
Fixed assets
Fixed investments 26,289 26,245
Debtors due after more than one year 3,242 2,918
Deferred taxation 18 –
Total non-current assets 3,260 2,918
Debtors due within one year 1,740 2,656
Deferred taxation 20 –
Cash at bank and in hand 14 7
Total current assets 1,774 2,663
Creditors due within one year (17,163) (18,122)
Net current assets/(liabilities) (15,389) (15,459)
Total assets less current liabilities 14,160 13,704
Creditors due after more than one year 6,515 6,207
Provisions for liabilities and charges (excluding pensions and similar obligations) 15 59
Net pension liability 90 84
Capital and reserves 7,540 7,354
Called up share capital 275 275
Share premium account 20 20
Legal reserves 16 16
Other reserves (3,428) (3,559)
Profit retained 10,657 10,602
Total capital employed 14,160 13,704
Profit and loss account for the year ended 31 December
€ million € million
2009 2008
Income from fixed investments after taxation 1,306 1,422
Other income and expenses (19) 291
Profit for the year 1,287 1,713
For the information required by Article 392 of Book 2 of the Civil Code in the Netherlands, refer to pages 133 and 137. Pages 135 and 136 are
part of the notes to the Unilever N.V. company accounts.
The company accounts of Unilever N.V. are included in the consolidated accounts of the Unilever Group. Therefore, and in accordance with
Article 402 of Book 2 of the Civil Code in the Netherlands, the profit and loss account only reflects the income from fixed investments after
taxation and other income and expenses after taxes. The company accounts of Unilever N.V. do not contain a cash flow statement as this is
not required by Book 2 of the Civil Code in the Netherlands.
The Board of Directors
2 March 2010

Notes to the company accounts Unilever N.V.
Accounting information and policies
Basis of preparation
The company accounts of Unilever N.V. comply in all material respects
with legislation in the Netherlands. As allowed by Article 362.1 of
Book 2 of the Civil Code in the Netherlands, the company accounts
are prepared in accordance with United Kingdom accounting
standards, unless such standards conflict with the Civil Code in
the Netherlands which would in such case prevail.
The accounts are prepared under the historical cost convention as
modified by the revaluation of financial assets classified as ‘availablefor-sale
investments’, ‘financial assets at fair value through profit
or loss’, and ‘derivative financial instruments’ in accordance with
the accounting policies set out below which have been
consistently applied.
Accounting policies
The principal accounting policies are as follows:
Fixed investments
Shares in group companies are stated at cost less any amounts written
off to reflect a permanent impairment. Any impairment is charged
to the profit and loss account as it arises. In accordance with Article
385.5 of Book 2 of the Civil Code in the Netherlands, Unilever N.V.
shares held by Unilever N.V. subsidiaries are deducted from the
carrying value of those subsidiaries. This differs from the accounting
treatment under UK GAAP, which would require these amounts to
be included within fixed investments.
Financial instruments and derivative financial instruments
The company’s accounting policies under United Kingdom generally
accepted accounting principles (UK GAAP) namely FRS 25 ‘Financial
Instruments: Presentation’, FRS 26 ‘Financial Instruments:
Measurement’ and FRS 29 ‘Financial Instruments: Disclosures’ are the
same as the Unilever Group’s accounting policies under International
Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) namely IAS 32 ‘Financial
Instruments: Presentation’, IAS 39 ‘Financial Instruments: Recognition
and Measurement’ and IFRS 7 ‘Financial Instruments: Disclosures’. The
policies are set out under the heading ‘Financial instruments’ in note 1
to the consolidated accounts on pages 84 and 85. NV is taking the
exemption for not providing all the financial instruments disclosures,
because IFRS 7 disclosures are given in note 15 to the consolidated
accounts on pages 104 to 110.
Deferred taxation
Full provision is made for deferred taxation on all significant timing
differences arising from the recognition of items for taxation purposes
in different periods from those in which they are included in the
company's accounts. Full provision is made at the rates of tax
prevailing at the year end unless future rates have been enacted
or substantively enacted. Deferred tax assets and liabilities have
not been discounted.
Own shares held
Own shares held by the company are accounted for in accordance
with Dutch law and UK GAAP, namely FRS 25 ‘Financial Instruments:
Presentation’. All differences between the purchase price of the shares
held to satisfy options granted and the proceeds received for the
shares, whether on exercise or lapse, are charged to reserves.
Retirement benefits
Unilever N.V. has accounted for pensions and similar benefits under
the United Kingdom Financial Reporting Standard 17 'Retirement
benefits' (FRS 17). The operating and financing costs of defined
benefit plans are recognised separately in the profit and loss account;
service costs are systematically spread over the service lives of
employees, and financing costs are recognised in the periods in which
they arise. Variations from expected costs, arising from the experience
of the plans or changes in actuarial assumptions, are recognised
immediately in the statement of comprehensive income. The costs of
individual events such as past service benefit enhancements,
settlements and curtailments are recognised immediately in the profit
and loss account. The liabilities and, where applicable, the assets of
defined benefit plans are recognised at fair value in the balance sheet.
The charges to the profit and loss account for defined contribution
plans are the company contributions payable and the assets of such
plans are not included in the company balance sheet.
Dividends
Under Financial Reporting Standard 21 ‘Events after the Balance Sheet
Date’ (FRS 21), proposed dividends do not meet the definition of a
liability until such time as they have been approved by shareholders at
the Annual General Meeting. Therefore, we do not recognise a liability
in any period for dividends that have been proposed but will not be
approved until after the balance sheet date. This holds for external
dividends as well as intra-group dividends paid to the parent company.
Taxation
Unilever N.V, together with certain of its subsidiaries, is part of a tax
grouping for Dutch corporate income tax purposes. The members of
the fiscal entity are jointly and severally liable for any taxes payable by
the Dutch tax grouping.
Fixed investments € million € million
2009 2008
Shares in group companies 26,095 25,989
PLC shares held in connection with
share options 194 256
26,289 26,245
Movements during the year:
1 January 26,245 24,423
PLC shares held in connection
with share options (62) 72
NV shares held by group companies – 189
Additions (a) 3,840 5,620
Decreases (a) (3,734) (4,059)
31 December 26,289 26,245
(a) The additions relate to two investments in group companies. The
decreases relate to repayments made by the subsidiary Unilever
Finance International B.V. and to the divestment of three group
companies.
Debtors € million € million
2009 2008
Loans to group companies 3,242 3,688
Other amounts owed by group companies 1,668 1,801
Taxation 28 24
Other 44 61
4,982 5,574
Of which due after more than one year 3,242 2,918
Unilever Annual Report and Accounts 2009 135

Financial statements
Cash at bank and in hand
There was no cash at bank and in hand for which payment notice was
required at either 31 December 2009 or 31 December 2008.
Creditors € million € million
Due within one year:
2009 2008
Other amounts owed to group companies 15,967 16,030
Loans from group companies 972 1,150
Bonds and other loans 33 772
Taxation and social security 15 15
Accruals and deferred income 67 88
Other 109 67
136 Unilever Annual Report and Accounts 2009
17,163 18,122
Due after more than one year:
Bonds and other loans 3,297 2,961
Loans from group companies 3,089 3,089
Accruals and deferred income 5 33
Preference shares 124 124
6,515 6,207
Creditors due after five years amount to €1,107 million (2008: €1,103
million) (Article 375.2 of Book 2 of the Civil Code in the Netherlands).
Ordinary share capital
Shares numbered 1 to 2,400 are held by a subsidiary of NV and
a subsidiary of PLC, each holding 50%. Additionally, 170,178,644
(2008: 177,223,649) €0.16 ordinary shares are held by NV and
other group companies. Further details are given in note 22 to the
consolidated accounts on page 119.
Share premium account
The share premium shown in the balance sheet is not available for the
issue of bonus shares or for repayment without incurring withholding
tax payable by the company. This is despite the change in tax law in
the Netherlands, as a result of which dividends received from 2001
onwards by individual shareholders who are resident in the
Netherlands are no longer taxed.
Other reserves € million € million
2009 2008
1 January (3,559) (2,437)
Change during the year 131 (1,122)
31 December (3,428) (3,559)
Other reserves relate to own shares held.
Profit retained € million € million
2009 2008
1 January 10,602 10,009
Profit for the year 1,287 1,713
Ordinary dividends – final 2007 – (779)
Ordinary dividends – interim 2008 – (401)
Ordinary dividends – final 2008 (786) –
Ordinary dividends – interim 2009 (417) –
Taxation charge 2 (11)
Realised profit/(loss) on shares/certificates held
to meet employee share options (8) 14
Changes in present value of net pension liability (9) 53
Other charges (14) 4
31 December 10,657 10,602
As shown in note 24 on page 120, the total profit retained of NV
amounts to €16,458 million (2008: €15,343 million). This is made up
of the Parent Unilever N.V. €10,657 million (2008: €10,602 million),
other NV group companies €5,730 million (2008: €4,732 million) and
joint ventures and associates €71 million (2008: €9 million).
Provisions for liabilities and charges (excluding pensions and
similar obligations)
€ million € million
2009 2008
Deferred taxation – 18
Other provisions 15 41
15 59
Of which due within one year 14 59
Net pension liability
€ million € million
2009 2008
Funded retirement benefit (9) (12)
Unfunded retirement liability 99 96
90 84
Contingent liabilities
Contingent liabilities are not expected to give rise to any material
loss and include guarantees given for group companies. The estimated
total of such liabilities as at 31 December 2009 was some
€5,193 million (2008: €6,050 million) of which €3,655 million
(2008: €4,420 million) was also guaranteed by PLC. The fair value
of such guarantees was not significant in either 2008 or 2009.
The guarantees issued to other companies were immaterial.
NV has issued joint and several liability undertakings, as defined in
Article 403 of Book 2 of the Civil Code in the Netherlands, for almost
all Dutch group companies. These written undertakings have been
filed with the office of the Company Registry in whose area of
jurisdiction the group company concerned has its registered office.
Directors’ remuneration
Information about the remuneration of Directors is given in the tables
noted as audited in the Directors’ Remuneration Report on pages 67
to 73, incorporated and repeated here by reference.

Further statutory and other information Unilever N.V.
The rules for profit appropriation in the Articles of Association
(summary of Article 38)
The profit for the year is applied firstly to the reserves required by law
or by the Equalisation Agreement, secondly to cover losses of previous
years, if any, and thirdly to the reserves deemed necessary by the Board
of Directors. Dividends due to the holders of the Cumulative
Preference Shares, including any arrears in such dividends, are then
paid; if the profit is insufficient for this purpose, the amount available
is distributed to them in proportion to the dividend percentages of
their shares. Any profit remaining thereafter shall be distributed to the
holders of ordinary shares in proportion to the nominal value of their
respective holdings of ordinary shares. The General Meeting can only
decide to make distributions from reserves on the basis of a proposal
by the Board and in compliance with the law and the Equalisation
Agreement.
Proposed profit appropriation € million € million
2009 2008
Profit for the year (available for distribution) 1,287 1,713
Interim dividend already paid (417) (401)
To profit retained 870 1,312
Corporate Centre
Unilever N.V.
Weena 455
PO Box 760
3000 DK Rotterdam
The Netherlands
Post balance sheet event
On 4 February 2010 the Directors announced a dividend of
€0.1950 per Unilever N.V. ordinary share. The dividend is payable
from 17 March 2010 to shareholders registered at close of business
on 12 February 2010.
Special controlling rights under the Articles of Association
See note 22 to the consolidated accounts on page 119.
Auditors
A resolution will be proposed at the Annual General Meeting on
11 May 2010 for the re-appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers
Accountants N.V. as auditors of Unilever N.V. The present
appointment will end at the conclusion of the Annual General
Meeting. For details of the remuneration of the auditors please
refer to note 31 on page 128.
Unilever Annual Report and Accounts 2009 137

Financial statements
Company accounts Auditors’ report – Unilever PLC
Independent auditors’ report to the members of Unilever
PLC on the parent company accounts
We have audited the parent company accounts of Unilever PLC for
the year ended 31 December 2009 which comprise the balance
sheet and the related notes. The financial reporting framework
that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and
United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally
Accepted Accounting Practice).
Respective responsibilities of Directors and auditors
As explained more fully in the Statement of Directors’
Responsibilities on page 76, the Directors are responsible for the
preparation of the parent company accounts and for being
satisfied that they give a true and fair view. Our responsibility is to
audit the parent company accounts in accordance with applicable
law and International Standards on Auditing (UK and Ireland).
Those standards require us to comply with the Auditing Practices
Board’s Ethical Standards for Auditors.
This report, including the opinions, has been prepared for and only
for the shareholders of Unilever PLC as a body in accordance with
Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006 and for no other
purpose. We do not, in giving these opinions, accept or assume
responsibility for any other purpose or to any other person to
whom this report is shown or into whose hands it may come save
where expressly agreed by our prior consent in writing.
Scope of the audit of the accounts
An audit involves obtaining evidence about the amounts and
disclosures in the accounts sufficient to give reasonable assurance
that the accounts are free from material misstatement, whether
caused by fraud or error. This includes an assessment of: whether
the accounting policies are appropriate to the parent company’s
circumstances and have been consistently applied and adequately
disclosed; the reasonableness of significant accounting estimates
made by the directors; and the overall presentation of the
accounts.
Opinion on accounts
In our opinion the parent company accounts:
• give a true and fair view of the state of the company’s affairs as
at 31 December 2009;
• have been properly prepared in accordance with United
Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and
• have been prepared in accordance with the Companies Act
2006.
138 Unilever Annual Report and Accounts 2009
Opinion on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act
2006
In our opinion:
• the part of the Directors’ Remuneration Report to be audited
has been properly prepared in accordance with the Companies
Act 2006; and
• the information given in the Report of the Directors for the
financial year for which the parent company accounts are
prepared is consistent with the parent company accounts.
Matters on which we are required to report by exception
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters
where the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in
our opinion:
• adequate accounting records have not been kept by the parent
company, or returns adequate for our audit have not been
received from branches not visited by us; or
• the parent company accounts and the part of the Directors’
Remuneration Report to be audited are not in agreement with
the accounting records and returns; or
• certain disclosures of directors’ remuneration specified by law
are not made; or
• we have not received all the information and explanations we
require for our audit.
Other matter
We have reported separately on the consolidated financial
statements of Unilever Group for the year ended 31 December
2009.
Richard Sexton
(Senior Statutory Auditor)
For and on behalf of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Chartered Accountants and Statutory Auditors
London, United Kingdom
2 March 2010

Company accounts Unilever PLC
Balance sheet as at 31 December
£ million £ million
2009 2008
Fixed assets
Intangible assets 7 9
Fixed asset investments 5,929 4,393
Current assets
Debtors due within one year 375 595
Total current assets 375 595
Creditors due within one year (3,761) (3,379)
Net current assets/(liabilities) (3,386) (2,784)
Total assets less current liabilities 2,550 1,618
Creditors due after more than one year 743 –
Provision for liabilities and charges (excluding pensions and similar obligations) 10 10
Capital and reserves 1,797 1,608
Called up share capital 41 41
Share premium account 94 94
Capital redemption reserve 11 11
Other reserves (455) (489)
Profit retained 2,106 1,951
Total capital employed 2,550 1,618
As permitted by Section 408 of the United Kingdom Companies Act 2006, an entity profit and loss account is not included as part of the
published company accounts for PLC. Under the terms of Financial Reporting Standard 1 (revised 1996) ‘Cash Flow Statements’ (FRS 1) a cash
flow statement is not included, as the cash flows are included in the consolidated cash flow statement of the Unilever Group.
On behalf of the Board of Directors
M Treschow Chairman
P Polman Chief Executive Officer
2 March 2010
Unilever Annual Report and Accounts 2009 139

Financial statements
Notes to the company accounts Unilever PLC
Accounting information and policies
Basis of preparation
The accounts have been prepared in accordance with applicable
United Kingdom accounting standards and the United Kingdom
Companies Act 2006.
The accounts are prepared under the historical cost convention as
modified by the revaluation of financial assets classified as ‘available-forsale
investments’, ‘financial assets at fair value through profit or loss’,
and ‘derivative financial instruments’ in accordance with the accounting
policies set out below which have been consistently applied.
Accounting policies
The principal accounting policies are as follows:
Intangible assets
Intangible assets comprise trademarks purchased after 1 January 1998
and are amortised in the profit and loss account over their expected
useful lives of up to a maximum of 20 years. They are subject to review
for impairment in accordance with United Kingdom Financial
Reporting Standard 11 ‘Impairment of Fixed Assets and Goodwill’
(FRS 11). Any impairment is charged to the profit and loss account
as it arises.
Fixed asset investments
Shares in group companies are stated at cost less any amounts written
off to reflect a permanent impairment. Any impairment is charged to
the profit and loss account as it arises.
Financial instruments
The company’s accounting policies under United Kingdom generally
accepted accounting principles (UK GAAP) namely FRS 25 ‘Financial
Instruments: Presentation’, FRS 26 ‘Financial Instruments:
Measurement’ and FRS 29 ‘Financial Instruments: Disclosures’ are the
same as the Unilever Group’s accounting policies under International
Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) namely IAS 32 ‘Financial
Instruments: Presentation’, IAS 39 ‘Financial Instruments: Recognition
and Measurement’ and IFRS 7 ‘Financial Instruments: Disclosures’. The
policies are set out under the heading ‘Financial instruments’ in note 1
to the consolidated accounts on pages 84 and 85. PLC is taking the
exemption for not providing all the financial instruments disclosures,
because IFRS 7 disclosures are given in note 15 to the consolidated
accounts on pages 104 to 110.
140 Unilever Annual Report and Accounts 2009
Deferred taxation
Full provision is made for deferred taxation on all significant timing
differences arising from the recognition of items for taxation purposes
in different periods from those in which they are included in the
company’s accounts. Full provision is made at the rates of tax
prevailing at the year end unless future rates have been enacted
or substantively enacted. Deferred tax assets and liabilities have not
been discounted.
Shares held by employee share trusts
Shares held to satisfy options are accounted for in accordance with UK
GAAP, namely FRS 25 ‘Financial Instruments: Presentation’, FRS 20
‘Share Based Payments’ and Urgent Issues Task Force abstract 38
‘Accounting for ESOP Trusts’ (UITF 38). All differences between the
purchase price of the shares held to satisfy options granted and the
proceeds received for the shares, whether on exercise or lapse, are
charged to other reserves.
Dividends
Under Financial Reporting Standard 21 ‘Events after the Balance Sheet
Date’ (FRS 21), proposed dividends do not meet the definition of a
liability until such time as they have been approved by shareholders
at the Annual General Meeting. Therefore, we do not recognise a
liability in any period for dividends that have been proposed but will
not be approved until after the balance sheet date. This holds for
external dividends as well as intra-group dividends paid to the parent
company.

Notes to the company accounts Unilever PLC
Fixed asset investments £ million £ million
2009 2008
Shares in group companies (a) 5,929 4,393
(a) The movement in the year is an additional investment in a
group company.
Debtors £ million £ million
2009 2008
Due within one year:
Amounts owed by group companies 374 593
Other 1 2
375 595
Creditors £ million £ million
2009 2008
Due within one year:
Amounts owed to group companies 3,687 3,273
Taxation and social security 63 100
Accruals and deferred income 11 6
3,761 3,379
Due after more than one year:
Bonds and other loans (b) 743 –
(b) During 2009 Unilever PLC issued the following senior notes:
• on 19 March £350 million at 4.0% maturing December 2014
(year-end value at amortised cost £346 million)
• on 17 June £400 million at 4.75% maturing June 2017 (year-end
value amortised cost £397 million).
Provisions for liabilities and charges (excluding pensions and
similar obligations)
£ million £ million
2009 2008
Deferred taxation 10 10
Ordinary share capital
Information on the consolidation of ordinary shares is given in note 22
to the consolidated accounts on page 119.
Other reserves £ million £ million
2009 2008
1 January (489) (281)
Change in book value of shares 34 (208)
31 December (455) (489)
Profit retained £ million £ million
2009 2008
1 January 1,951 1,721
Profit for the year
Final dividend 2007 on ordinary and
977 931
deferred shares
Interim dividend 2008 on ordinary and
– (439)
deferred shares
Final dividend 2008 on ordinary and
– (262)
deferred shares
Interim dividend 2009 on ordinary and
(513) –
deferred shares (309) –
31 December 2,106 1,951
Contingent liabilities
Contingent liabilities are not expected to give rise to any material loss
and include guarantees given for group companies. The estimated total
of such liabilities at 31 December 2009 was some £6,122 million
(2008: £7,905 million) of which £3,245 million (2008: £4,319 million)
was also guaranteed by NV. The fair value of such guarantees is not
significant in either 2008 or 2009. The guarantees issued to other
companies were immaterial.
Remuneration of auditors
The parent company accounts of Unilever PLC are required to comply
with The Companies (Disclosure of Auditor Remuneration) Regulations
2005. Auditors’ remuneration in respect of Unilever PLC is included
within the disclosures in note 31 on page 128.
Profit appropriation £ million £ million
2009 2008
Profit for the year (available for distribution) 977 931
Interim dividend already paid (309) (262)
To profit retained 668 669
Post balance sheet event
On 4 February 2010 the Directors announced a dividend of
£0.1704 per Unilever PLC ordinary share. The dividend is payable
from 17 March 2010 to shareholders registered at close of business on
12 February 2010.
Unilever Annual Report and Accounts 2009 141

Financial statements
Further statutory and other information Unilever PLC
Directors’ Report of PLC and limitations of liability
For the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, the Directors’
Report of Unilever PLC for the year ended 31 December 2009
comprises this and the following page and the information
contained in the Report of the Directors on pages 2 to 62 which
includes the Company’s position on environment and corporate
responsibility matters, the Directors’ Remuneration Report in
respect of Directors’ interests in shares or debentures of the Group
on pages 72 and 73, Dividends on page 93, Principal group
companies and non-current investments on pages 131 and 132,
Significant shareholders of PLC as disclosed on page 144, and
Financial instruments and Treasury risk management on page 104.
The information required to be given pursuant to Section 992 of
the UK Companies Act 2006 is covered elsewhere in this Annual
Report.
The Directors’ Report has been drawn up and presented in
accordance with and in reliance upon English company law and
liabilities of the Directors in connection with that report shall be
subject to the limitations and restrictions provided by such law.
Under the Companies Act 2006, a safe harbour limits the liability
of Directors in respect of statements in and omissions from the
Directors’ Report. Under English Law the Directors would be liable
to Unilever (but not to any third party) if the Directors’ Report
contains errors as a result of recklessness or knowing misstatement
or dishonest concealment of a material fact, but would not
otherwise be liable.
Business review
The UK Companies Act 2006 requires Unilever PLC to set out in
this report a fair review of the business of the Group during the
financial year ended 31 December 2009 including a description
of the principal risks and uncertainties facing the Group and an
analysis of the position of the Group’s business at the end of the
financial year, known as a ‘Business review’.
The information that fulfils the current Business review
requirements can be found on the following pages of this Annual
Report which are incorporated into this report by reference:
• a description of the principal risks and uncertainties facing the
Group see pages 30 to 34;
• the development and performance of the Group’s business
during the year see pages 37 to 46;
• the position of the Group’s business at the end of the year see
pages 40 and 81;
• key performance indicators see page 25 and 26;
• other key indicators see pages 25 and 26;
• main trends and factors likely to affect the future development,
performance and position of the Group see page 30;
• environmental matters and policy, including the impact of the
Group’s business on the environment see pages 20 to 21;
• employee matters and policy see pages 14 to 15, 28 and also
below; and
• a statement that the Directors do not believe that there are any
contracts or other arrangements which are essential to the
business of the Group is given on page 59.
Employee involvement and communication
Unilever’s UK companies maintain formal processes to inform,
consult and involve employees and their representatives. We
recognise collective bargaining on a number of sites and engage
with employees via the Sourcing Unit Forum including officer
142 Unilever Annual Report and Accounts 2009
representation from the three recognised trade unions. Our sites
use tools such as Total Productive Maintenance which rely heavily
on employee involvement, contribution and commitment.
A National Consultative Council covering employees and
management representatives exists to provide a forum for
discussing issues relating to the United Kingdom. A European
Works Council, embracing employee and management
representatives from countries within Europe, has been in
existence for several years and provides a forum for discussing
issues that extend across national boundaries.
The company carries out regular and wide-ranging monitoring
surveys providing valuable insight into employee views, attitudes
and levels of engagement.
The Directors’ Reports of the United Kingdom group companies
contain more details about how they have communicated with
their employees during 2009.
Equal opportunities and diversity
Under the umbrella of our Code of Business Principles, Unilever
aims to ensure that people with disabilities, and other underrepresented
groups, are given the same training, development and
prospects as other employees. Every effort is also made to retrain
and support employees who become disabled while working
within the Group.
The company continues to review ways in which greater diversity
can be achieved in recruitment and selection. We have put in
place policies which promote the achievement of diversity in our
business and we review these regularly. For example, Unilever UK
provides policies on home working, flexible working, maternity
and paternity leave, child care provision and career breaks, which
help us to meet the objective of greater employee diversity.
Charitable and other contributions
Unilever collates the cost of its community involvement activities
using the London Benchmarking Group model. The model
recommends the separation of charitable donations, community
investment, commercial initiatives in the community and
management costs relating to the programme of activity.
During 2009 UK group companies made a total contribution of
£7.8 million, analysed as follows:
• Charitable donations: £0.4million
• Community investment: £1.1 million
• Commercial initiatives in the community: £6.1 million
• Management costs: £0.2 million
No donation or contribution was made or expenditure incurred for
political purposes.
Supplier payment policies
Individual operating companies are responsible for agreeing the
terms and conditions under which business transactions with their
suppliers are conducted. The Directors’ Reports of the United
Kingdom operating companies give information about their
supplier payment policies as required by the UK Companies Act
2006. PLC, as a holding company, does not itself make any
relevant payments in this respect.

Further statutory and other information Unilever PLC
Auditors and disclosure of information to auditors
A resolution will be proposed at the AGM on 12 May 2010 for
the re-appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as auditors
of PLC. The present appointment will end at the conclusion of
the AGM.
To the best of each of the Directors’ knowledge and belief, and
having made appropriate enquiries of other officers of the Unilever
Group, all information relevant to enabling the auditors to provide
their opinions on PLC’s consolidated and parent company accounts
has been provided. Each of the Directors has taken all reasonable
steps to ensure their awareness of any relevant audit information
and to establish that the company’s auditors are aware of any such
information.
Authority to purchase own shares
At the AGM of PLC held on 13 May 2009, authority was given
pursuant to Article 64 of the PLC Articles of Association to make
market purchases of PLC ordinary shares of 3 1 ⁄9p each, to a
maximum of 290 million shares. This authority will expire at the
AGM on 12 May 2010, and a resolution will be proposed to renew
the authority.
Details of shares purchased by an employee share trust and
Unilever group companies to satisfy options granted under PLC’s
employee share schemes are given in note 29 to the consolidated
accounts on pages 126 to 127.
Corporate Centre Unilever PLC Registered Office
Unilever PLC Port Sunlight
Unilever House Wirral
100 Victoria Embankment Merseyside CH62 4ZD
London EC4Y 0DY Registered number 41424
Unilever PLC Registrars
Computershare Investor Services PLC
The Pavilions
Bridgwater Road
Bristol BS99 6ZY
By Order of the Board
S G Williams
Secretary of Unilever PLC
2 March 2010
Unilever Annual Report and Accounts 2009 143